What are UK ventilation requirements by sector?

Part F minimums: offices 6 ACH, retail 8, restaurants 10, gyms 12, commercial kitchens 12+. Higher figures apply to smoking areas and treatment rooms.

What is MVHR and when is it required?

Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery — extracts warm stale air, transfers ~90% of its heat to incoming fresh air. Required on airtight new-builds under Part L and standard on office refurbishments.

Can ventilation and air conditioning share ductwork?

Yes on VRV/VRF systems with dedicated fresh-air units, no on split systems. Sharing ducts on splits recirculates contaminants and breaches Part F.

Commercial ventilation guides

Building Regs Part F, ACH requirements by sector and MVHR integration.

Key facts

Offices need 6 ACH; commercial kitchens 12+.
MVHR recovers ~90% of extracted heat.
Part F non-compliance blocks Building Control sign-off.

UK ventilation is governed by Building Regulations Part F, which specifies minimum air-change rates by building use. Offices need 6 ACH; retail 8; restaurants 10; gyms 12; commercial kitchens 12+. Modern buildings pair ventilation with mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) to hit Part F while keeping energy loss below 10%. These guides cover sector-by-sector requirements and MVHR system design.

Guides in ventilation

UK ventilation requirements by sector
Offices 6 ACH, retail 8, restaurants 10, gyms 12, kitchens 12+ — what Part F requires.

Common questions about ventilation

What are UK ventilation requirements by sector?: Part F minimums: offices 6 ACH, retail 8, restaurants 10, gyms 12, commercial kitchens 12+. Higher figures apply to smoking areas and treatment rooms.
What is MVHR and when is it required?: Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery — extracts warm stale air, transfers ~90% of its heat to incoming fresh air. Required on airtight new-builds under Part L and standard on office refurbishments.
Can ventilation and air conditioning share ductwork?: Yes on VRV/VRF systems with dedicated fresh-air units, no on split systems. Sharing ducts on splits recirculates contaminants and breaches Part F.